Tuxedo's First Bed - Christmas 2011

My sister bought a small dog bed for Christmas that was too small for her dog. She gave it to me for Tuxedo. I wasn’t too sure if she would use a small bed because I had never bought her one. I wasn’t sure she would sleep in a small area. I was wrong.

I put it on the bed near me. She sniffed it out for a while, then sat in it for awhile cleaning herself, then lay down. Soon she was sleeping in it. She loves it! She’s in it all the time now. I am happy for her comfort.

Tuxedo's Spay Weight #47

Since her operation Tuxedo has put on “spay weight.” That’s the slowing down of her metabolism after her spay operation. I see it. I feed her the same amount of food as before, yet she has spread out. She runs around probably more than before, but her shape is changing. She’s starting to have the same fullness as Angel, especially her head. I guess it’s the same kind of change as a woman who goes through menopause. I will have to feed her less so she doesn’t turn into a butterball cat.

She’s very active. Still, I have to laugh when she walks around with a waddle. It’s from the small stomach pouch she carries around her waist. She has a walk like a full-figured Marilyn Monroe, with a wiggle from behind. As long as I can still feel her ribs when I rub her, I guess it’s okay.

Tuxedo is Affctionate #46

Tuxedo loves to sleep in my arms, or near me. Those with cats are familiar with their habit of sleeping near their owners’ heads all night. She snuggles against me while she sleeps, but hates to be covered up with anything. If I put a towel or blanket on her she’ll run away every time.

She has been especially clingy lately. I wonder if it’s because the weather has changed, and she likes the extra heat. She wants to sleep near me, wanting affection. She especially likes to be kissed on her head, ears, and eyes. She has a soft, low purr that can only be heard when close to her, or when she is touched.

I have been a little uncomfortable because Tuxedo usually doesn’t seek out affection on such a regular basis. Maybe as she grows older, she now notices and wants things that make her happy. Like the times she wants me to play with her toy mice at night. She sleeps all day and wants to play at night.

Off Topic - I let her out the front hallway one day. She ran downstairs because sometimes I allow her to follow me when I visit my sister. My sister called to say Tuxedo was in the hallway watching my mother sort the mail. I called and she came home immediately. After I closed the door, she laid down on the floor in front of the closed door. She wagged her tail ferociously for about five minutes, indicating she was happy. I guess she had a nice visit with grandma.

Tuxedo News #45

It’s difficult to take pictures of Tuxedo. When she’s awake, she keeps walking directly into the camera, right in front of the lens. When she’s asleep, because she’s a black cat, you can’t see that she has eyes. I guess I’ll have to sneak up on her while she’s awake.

Tuxedo has begun a new strange habit. Overnight, she finds sponges, my comb, anything small, and puts them in the bathroom sink. The sink is filled with water every night for her to drink. I don’t know why she does this.

I was going through some old photographs to organize the when I almost sucked up my tongue. I saw a picture of the last cat I had over 17 years ago, singing on the kitchen floor. Tuxedo looks exactly like her ! I feel like her spirit is in Tuxedo now. It’s why we get along so well.

Tuxedo's Territory #44

Last night Tuxedo accidently pushed my writing notebook behind my bed. When I went to get it, she ran underneath the bed and started hitting me with her paw. Every time I reached for my notebook, she pawed me. I couldn’t believe it. She was fighting me for being under the bed. She sleeps there all night when we go to bed. I guess she resented me being in her territory. Eventually I was able to get the notebook. I made a mental note to be more careful next time.

The other day I went into my bedroom closet. Just as I opened the door, Tuxedo jumped on the dresser next to it and proceeded to whip me with her paws. Again, she fought me, jumping up on my arm. I took out what I needed and left. The back of the closet is where she takes her long naps. I guess I entered her new territory.

She’s looking for a winter nesting place. Somewhere hidden around the house that’s warm where she can take naps without being disturbed. She’s taken to my various bookcases. She tries to pull out the books so she can sleep behind the rest of them. I have tried removing books on bottom shelves so she doesn’t have to destroy them looking for a place to stretch out with her suddenly big body.

I know cats are territorial, but this is ridiculous!

Cats Need Stability #43

Tuxedo is like a little child in that she needs stability. Or, call it a habit that cats like to maintain without interruption. Anything that changes in her immediate environment has an impact on her psyche.

If I move my blankets to a different area, she whines until I put them back where she is familiar. I leave her water bowl in the bathroom where she has access to it at any time of the day. In fact, when her cousin Angel visits, she also knows where the water bowl is, and uses it.

Give her different food and she gets panicky if she doesn’t like it. If I were to move her litter box I might find a mess where the box used to be. Tuxedo responds to a stable environment. What about your cat?

Does Your Cat Like Water?

http://homesteadbound.hubpages.com/_2xqq6mr86s3p/hub/Cats-and-Water-Some-Like-It-And-Some-Dont

This is a really funny article about cats and water. Tuxedo is a water cat for sure!